Thursday, August 13, 2015

It Follows

 
~CLICK TO PLAY TITLE THEME~
SPOILER FREE, as usual! :)


Director: David Robert Mitchell

Writer: David Robert Mitchell

Stars: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Olivia Luccardi



From IMDB
"A young woman is followed by an unknown supernatural force after getting involved in a sexual encounter."





I didn't even know THIS much when I fired this up last night. The trailer - curse it - made this film seem like another, run-of-the-mill slasher/monster/ghost film. Girls were screaming...running around. I'm not even sure I finished the trailer, honestly.



NOTE: DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER!!!!   DON'T DO IT!    Just watch the film!!!!!

Like many other genre films, the production folks had to sell the story to potential audiences by giving away the milk for free, as it were. The trailer is riddled with many of the films key, cool scenes. I'm happy I stopped it - I would have been spoiled for much of the goodness.



The film is lovely. It sets up the danger right away - and it's brutal. So, when these other characters stumble into this horrific world, you know what's at stake and it's scary stuff. I loved the pace and tone of the film. It's sad, dim and dark. And above all, it's supremely creepy on many fronts.

The film is part of this current wave of story over effects films that have come out over the last few years. I love that. The story is strong, the writing is fantastic and the acting manages to really sell the situations at play. Mitchell's direction is grand and helps set many of the films most tense moments brilliantly.  The young actors in the film never come off flat and silly. They are all working and fun to watch.

I've seen many...many horror films. "Good, bad, I'm the one who'll watch."
:)

However, I believe this film brings a little something new to the genre. Again, the strong writing makes this very interesting. I wasn't able to pick out plot holes that would submarines the film. Nor was I second guessing elements before they popped up. I found that to be wondrously refreshing.

Is this...   ((http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/it_follows/))
"One of the best horror films in recent years."
"One of the most provocative horror films in recent history."
" A great work in atmosphere with solid emotional impact." 

Yeah. Yeah, it kinda is. :::grin:::  Like HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, the slow burn that rolls through this film keeps adding layers and layers of tension as you watch. And, the films fantastic "visual hook" ((Again...not giving it away...)) adds a fun, Hitchcock-like device into the mix that has you scanning every frame of the film with an eagle eye.

The film also had a bit of the Euro feel you get from the likes of Dario Argento or Mario Bava - I'm not quite sure how to explain it. A quiet you're afraid of. That thing in the dark you can't see, but know with all your heart is there...waiting. heh

IT FOLLOWS is grand. Watch it at once. Toss your Amazon rental money at it or the $39 for a theater ticket  :) and know that you're most likely going to walk away from the film nodding your head and saying, "Yeah...that's a pretty damn good film."
 







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